Relaxing the Firelady
by Alabaster86
Summary: Mai is tense and Zuko has the perfect remedy. Rated M for sexual content and language.


**Relaxing the Firelady**

Two weeks had already passed since Mai had performed her 'wifely duties', cancelling an important meeting and then turning Zuko into a boneless, completely relaxed and utterly sated Firelord. The good feeling had lasted well into the next day and even into the one after that.

But the work hadn't gone away and Zuko's tendencies to overdo hadn't either. Still, he made a conscious effort to eliminate evening meetings so that he could slip into bed with Mai, comfortable and content beneath their coverings of red silk. With his arms wrapped around her slender frame and his warm breath caressing the back of her neck, Mai always fell into an easy slumber. She_ never_ slept well without Zuko.

'When did _that_ happen?' she asked herself as her husband pulled back the sheet, placed a tender kiss on her exposed cheek and then lay down beside her. Mai recalled nights as a child and as a younger woman, nights when she was all too glad to climb into her bed all alone, the quiet and the dark a soothing balm for all that ailed her. But that was then, and now, the thought of sleeping in the huge bed, hers the only body warming it, was almost frightening.

"Sleeping already?" Zuko asked.

Mai wriggled her answer, pushing her bottom tight against her husband's groin.

He chuckled and kissed her throat this time, letting his tongue slip out so that he could taste her skin. "Wanna do something," he asked playfully? Zuko was already almost painfully hard and he ached for release.

"Mmm," the Firelady moaned. "Yeah." She turned around so that she could face Zuko and simply stared at him for a moment. The dim light from the bedside lamps flickered across his features, highlighting the scar that dominated the left side of his face. With movements so tender that Zuko's heart ached, she traced the scar. When she was finished she kissed it with equal tenderness and then pulled back. "Now, make love to me," she ordered, her tone as playful as Zuko's had been.

He was only too happy to oblige his wife.

"You look upset," Zuko observed at breakfast the next morning.

Mai sighed and tossed a letter at him from across the intimate table for two. He recognized the perfectly formed almost prissy characters immediately.

"What does _she_ want?" he asked, heaving his own sigh.

Letters from Mai's mother, Akira, were always a puzzle, a puzzle that only Mai was able to solve. Words held veiled threats and double meanings, hints and accusations, all under the cover of propriety and the perfect manners of a perfect lady. Mai hated the letters and she was slowly growing to hate the woman behind them too.

"She wants to discuss _children_," Mai spat viciously.

Zuko flinched and stared down at the letter once again. Tentatively he reached across the table and placed his hand over hers.

The Firelady had nothing against children at all and _wanted _to have them with Zuko. But she was also adamant that together they would decide the best time to do so. Nobody, not the council nor her parents had any right over_ her_ body or Zuko's. No one had any right to make such an important decision for them.

"So, um, what are you going to do?" The Firelord poured Mai another cup of tea and waited for the reply.

"I'm going to pay my dear meddling mother a visit and put an end to all this," she indicated the letter, "once and for all."

"Ah, do you think that maybe you should…." Zuko stopped when he felt Mai's dark glare. "No, of course, you should do whatever you think is best."

"Exactly," Mai agreed. "And I _will_."

Her narrow gold eyes were hard and determined looking. She took back the letter and systematically tore it into tiny pieces.

Zuko worried about Mai all day. She was scheduled to have tea with Akira shortly after lunch, and the afternoon dragged by for the Firelord. He fidgeted and found it hard to concentrate. Eventually he dismissed his Council and retreated to his office under the guise of doing important paperwork. But really, he stood before the window, long, flowing red robes grazing the tile floor, and craned his neck almost painfully _just _so that he could catch a glimpse of Mai's childhood home.

Tapping his fingers against the window ledge, he muttered something about Akira and how she had better not upset Mai. He was more than prepared to make a royal visit and put the woman in her place. But that would be up to his wife. After an hour of watching and pacing, he let out a frustrated groan and slumped down at his desk. Zuko made a half hearted attempt to read some correspondence but eventually pushed it aside.

"I'll wait in our rooms," he told himself and promptly left the office.

Gliding along the corridors he kept his eyes forward until he reached the palace's residential wing and then their rooms; bedroom, small sitting room and huge bath. Mai wasn't there.

"Damn," he cursed and immediately began to undress. The ungainly robes of the Firelord, though he was accustomed to them by now, always irritated Zuko and he slipped out of them whenever possible.

The crown came off first and he placed it carefully on the bedside table before pulling off layer after layer of rich silks and brocades. The Firelord really wished he could do his job in comfortable training clothes, like the loose pants he pulled on over his completely naked and well muscled body.

"Better," he declared with a satisfied smile and stretched out on the bed to wait for Mai.

Dressed in ordinary clothes and with her hair hanging loose, Mai strode back to the palace, keeping her head down and her pace quick. Zuko would rather she have guards accompany her, but the Firelady found that those same guards drew too much attention. It was simpler and easier to slip out and mix with the crowds. Besides she had her knives and her parents' home was literally across the street.

Naturally her mother had been appalled. "You should be proud of your position as Firelady. Why would you pretend to be an ordinary citizen?"

"It's just easier, Mother," Mai had replied, irritation already evident in her gravelly voice.

That brief exchange had set the tone for the entire afternoon. Mother and daughter had bickered, their voices growing louder as the minutes ticked by. Eventually bickering became something worse, something crueler and that was when Mai had snapped. She said her final piece, her heart beating double time beneath her ribs and her fists clenched, sharp nails biting into the skin of her palms.

By the time she left for home, Mai was agitated and tense and extremely angry. She wanted to scream and hit something, preferably Akira. But she would settle for maybe tossing her blades and curling up with Zuko, letting his love and concern surround her. That should calm her down.

Mai was relieved to see the entrance to their rooms and once she stepped inside, leaned against the door and shut her eyes, trying to gather her composure.

"You're back, finally; I've been waiting for ages." Zuko's face was already etched with worry. He could see the tension in Mai; on her face and in the set of her shoulders, the way she held herself. "It was bad, wasn't it?"

"That obvious?" Mai groaned and walked stiffly to the bed, her muscles suddenly aching. She sat down on the edge and leaned into a now sitting Zuko.

He pushed the dark mane of hair aside and placed kisses all along her throat. When he was close to her ear, he blew softly and then whispered. "Let me help you relax. Consider it payment for the little session you gave me a few weeks ago."

Mai couldn't help the smile that graced her lovely features; that 'session' had been fun and incredibly sexy and the thought of more sent tingles through her entire body. "I'm too tired to resist," she said by way of agreement.

"Good," the Firelord stated, his own deep voice oozing both love and desire. "But you have to promise that you'll do what I say. Just go with it, Mai."

The tingling grew stronger and Mai felt dampness between her legs. "I promise."

Zuko got off the bed and offered his hand to Mai. "I think a bath is in order then. I'll take care of everything."

Mai put her hand in his, completely surrendering herself.

She watched with a smirk as Zuko filled the huge tub and carefully selected Mai's favorite bath oils. He shucked off his pants and stood naked before her, a bottle of something else in his hand, massage oil, Mai figured, and pointed to Mai's clothing.

"Off," he ordered, attempting to sound forceful but failing miserably.

Mai played the game, though, and took off her tunic and pants. Her movements were deliberately sensuous and slow and she watched with amusement and lust as Zuko's cock stiffened before her eyes. When she wore nothing but a few glittering blades, strapped to her long, lean limbs with black leather, Zuko was almost drooling.

"I think you're the one getting relaxed," she quipped.

Zuko shook his head, trying valiantly to gain a bit of control. All he _really_ wanted to do at that point was push Mai to the ground and thrust into her as hard as he could. But this evening was about her, not him.

"Um," he swallowed. "Yeah, let me heat the water before you get in." Zuko stepped into the deep tub and firebended the water almost hot. He added some almond scented oil and then gestured for Mai to get in too.

It felt incredibly good, the heat, and seeped into tense, tight muscles. The scent of almonds reached her nose and Mai breathed in deeply. "What now, master?" she teased.

Zuko was sitting on one of the many wide ledges inside the tub, built for just _that_ purpose, and indicated that Mai was to sit there too, her back pressed against his chest. She obliged and leaned back into the warm wall of muscle, enjoying the sensation of skin against skin.

Reaching for the massage oil, Zuko poured a bit into his hands, heated it and began to rub Mai's shoulders, moving down her arms, her hands and paying special attention to her slender fingers. He loved Mai's hands, their strength, well hidden inside the delicately boned appendages, and the tiny calluses acquired from years of knife throwing.

"Feel good?" he asked, making sure his breath hit her neck.

"Agni, yes," Mai replied.

She gasped when his hands grazed her breasts and cried out when he began to caress them. All the tension of the day, all the words that her mother had thrown at her so hurtfully, fell into the water and drifted away. It was ecstasy and now Mai wanted more. She began to rock, deliberately bumping against her husband's erection.

"All in good time," he insisted. The Firelord let his fingers wander, stroking her sex and pushing up inside, letting Mai know what lay ahead.

"Please," she pleaded.

"Not yet!" This time, Zuko's voice _was_ authoritative and Mai settled down immediately.

Reaching for a ladle, he wet Mai's hair, found the shampoo and began to massage her head. He ran his hands through the entire length of her ebony locks, gently untangling and then smoothing out the hair. The motion was soothing and Mai found her eyes drooping closed. Zuko's lips on her shoulder and his hand on her breast roused her again. He poured ladleful after ladleful of water over her head, making sure that all the shampoo was rinsed out.

"There," he said. Putting his hands on her hips, he gently turned her around so that she faced him. "How do you feel now?" He stroked her cheek and kissed her gently.

"Mmm, so good, but I could be better." She reached below the water and grabbed hold of Zuko's cock, stroking it slowly. "_This_ will make everything perfect."

Grinning, Zuko stood up, lifting Mai easily. With her body coiled around his, the Firelord climbed back out of the tub, grabbed a towel and tossed it down onto the tile floor. "Right here," he stated and there was no arguing with him. Gently he put Mai down on the bright patch of scarlet and stared at her. Water beaded on her skin and rolled slowly down onto the towel. He licked his lips and stroked himself a few times before nudging her legs further apart and entering her.

Mai mewled, the feeling of her husband inside her almost too blissful to bear. He moved slowly, deliberately, stretching out the pleasure, rather than rushing through it. Every instinct told him to pound away with all his might, but he held back, reminding himself that Mai's pleasure and relaxation were what counted, not his own desires. And that was just fine, because slow was good too. He watched his manhood as it glided in and out, in and out, Mai's juices coating it completely. The sight was mesmerizing.

He bent down then and claimed Mai's lips, whispering words of love before moving down to her breasts, kissing each in turn, nibbling the flesh, leaving glaring pink stains that stood out against the white. The Firelady grabbed hold of Zuko's hair and pulled his head back up, kissing him thoroughly, pushing her tongue inside the almost hot cavern that was his mouth. The kiss grew rougher and so did Zuko's thrusting. Mai raised her legs and wrapped them around Zuko's waist, squeezing as hard as she could, her muscles straining and flexing.

Taking her hint, Zuko let loose and fucked his Firelady with abandon. All rational thought left both of them. The entire world, their world had been reduced to the push and pull of their bodies, their primal grunts and the smack of flesh against flesh. When they came, Zuko first and Mai shortly after, everything was white hot and bright, the rush of pleasure cascading over both of them again and again until they went limp in each other's arms.

Neither spoke for a few minutes. They were each too drained, too busy enjoying the dying embers of their orgasms. Mai's skin was rosy and her limbs were completely relaxed. Her breathing was soft and easy and she felt so damned good.

"Thank you," she said, snuggling against her husband, soaking up his warmth. She let her eyes slide shut and drifted off into sleep.

Zuko kissed her head, breathing in the smell of her damp hair. "You're welcome."


End file.
